Written Answers Tuesday 13 November 2007

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5468 by Shona Robison on 31 October 2007, whether it intends to make more up-to-date estimates than for 2002-03 in respect of the total cost to society of alcohol misuse.

Shona Robison: While there are currently no plans to update the estimates, we will consider ways in which the alcohol misuse cost estimates could be revised and updated. This will be informed by commissioned research to develop a robust methodology for estimating the social and economic cost of illicit drug use in Scotland. This research is due to be completed in March 2008.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for supervision of the Scottish Ministerial Code in respect of the conduct of the First Minister.

Bruce Crawford: As with all members of the Scottish Government, the First Minister is ultimately accountable to the Scottish Parliament for his conduct in carrying out his responsibilities.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to tackle childhood obesity.

Shona Robison: A wide range of actions that contribute to children achieving and maintaining a healthy weight are delivered through implementation of the Scottish Diet Action Plan and Physical Activity Strategy.

  Implementation of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act 2007 includes banning the sale of carbonated drinks and confectionary in all Scottish schools. The act also introduces a duty on all schools to be "health promoting", with a whole school approach to healthy eating and physical activity, including the Hungry for Success and Active Schools programmes.

  The Scottish Government is also promoting healthier environments outwith schools. This includes funding to Sustrans for the "Safe Routes to School" initiative to encourage walking and cycling as alternatives to the car school run and the "Beyond the School Gate" initiative which seeks to maximise the potential for local government to create environments that encourage children to lead more active and healthy lives.

  The Scottish Enhanced Services Programme (SESP) has given NHS boards the option to offer services for children with unhealthy weight when an adult family member presents for existing obesity services. Uptake of this service is a matter for individual health boards.

  Subject to the outcomes of the Strategic Spending Review the Scottish Government will publish our plans on diet, physical activity and obesity in the new year.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice and support on and treatment for adult obesity is available, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government currently centrally funds the Counterweight adult obesity treatment programme in Keep Well Wave 1 practices in Lanarkshire, Lothian and Tayside NHS board areas. As part of Wave 2 of Keep Well Counterweight will also be introduced in practices in Grampian, Fife and Ayrshire and Arran. Counterweight is an evidence-based system for managing weight in primary care and incorporates a range of approaches from lifestyle interventions to drug prescription and referral to dieticians and psychologists. The programme is intensive and for each patient lasts a year with continuing follow up.

  Information on other adult obesity services provided by individual Health Boards is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Obesity Action Resource (SOAR) project is due to be published by the Scottish Public Health Network later this year. SOAR will provide a partial baseline of information on current NHS activity tackling obesity.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the families of all patients with inherited heart conditions are routinely screened for similar conditions.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to screen the families of patients with premature coronary heart disease in respect of their risk of developing this disease.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5083 on 18 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Hospices

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what requests it has received in the last three years to provide financial assistance to hospices and what responses it has given in each case.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are not aware of any such requests. Guidance on funding arrangements for hospices is provided in HDL (2003)18 which indicates that hospices will receive funding from the relevant NHS board in respect of 50% of agreed running costs. This figure was reached with the agreement of the Scottish Hospices Forum and was set at 50% so as not to compromise the essential independence of individual hospices.

Police

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will put 1,000 more police officers on the beat, in line with the 2007 SNP manifesto commitment.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6201 on 12 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what income was obtained as a result of assets being recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 from criminals who were convicted of offences related to drug dealing in the first six months of the 2007-08 financial year.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: Forty-four confiscation orders in relation to drug related offences of a value amounting to £794,424 were made in the first six months of 2007-08 financial year.

St Andrew's Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to celebrate St Andrew’s Day, other than by sending St Andrew’s Day packs to schools and universities.

Linda Fabiani: St Andrew’s Day will be a great opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s culture, history and talents. Our programme for St Andrew’s Day involves events across all of Scotland's six cities, and Scottish Government events in Edinburgh, Brussels, Washington and Beijing. Scottish Government employees have been given the option of swapping an existing holiday for a half day holiday on St Andrew’s Day and we are working with organisations across Scotland to raise the profile of our national day. Detailed information about the programme can be found at www.scotland.org and further details of the plans will be announced during November.